Specifically, Whedon’s comments suggest a somewhat more stripped-down version of the character than comic book fans may be used to, and that despite being an artificial intelligence, Ultron’s motivations will extend beyond “standard robot stuff.”

“He’s got pain,” Whedon said. “And the way that manifests is not going to be standard robot stuff. So we’ll take away some of those powers because at some point everybody becomes magic, and I already have someone [Scarlet Witch] who’s a witch.”

Whedon said he “knew right away” how he wanted to handle Ultron. The goal, he told EW, is “to ground [the character] while still evoking that guy.”

“He’s always trying to destroy the Avengers, goddamn it, he’s got a bee in his bonnet. He’s not a happy guy, which means he’s an interesting guy.”

Entertainment Weekly’s full interview with Whedon, focusing on ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” appears in the issue on sale this Friday. “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” written and directed by Whedon, is scheduled for release on May 1, 2015.